SODA is an animated fable about how the cycle of life is run by a trifecta of magical spirit animals.

SODA is inspired by the visual folklore that different cultures (Spanish Day of the Dead paper cuttings, mythical shadow plays from Southeast Asia) have used for hundred of years to illustrate the why & how of our own mortality.

Directed by Crankbunny / Norma V. Toraya the animated short features the use of animated shadow puppetry, projected silhouettes, plus traditional and stop-motion animation.

About Crankbunny / Norma V. Toraya

Some things in life are slick, polished and blatantly obvious. But for Norma V. Toraya, who’s known as Crankbunny, these are exactly the things she shies away from. Instead, Crankbunny is more inclined to explore storytelling through curiosity and timeless concepts while working as an animation director in New York City.

A fine-arts background in sculpture and graduate studies in animation have inspired a magical melding of different techniques in Crankbunny’s work - including her recognizable hand-drawn painterly style, traditional cut-out camera work, stop-motion and digital tomfoolery with live action.

Crankbunny has directed commercial spots, TV intros, music videos and documentary film shorts for Nike, ING, Nestle, Darkhorse, Holt Renfrew, Rush, Etsy, W Network, MuchMusic, United Airlines and other similar lovely folks. She also continues to produce personal work showcased through Stash, Wired Magazine, FITC, OFFF, DotMov Shift Japan, ROJO and gallery spaces throughout the world. Her short “Animals Will Leave Us First” is part of the Museum of Modern Art New York permanent collection.

Recently, Crankbunny with Quayside Publishing put out a book called “Paper Puppet Palooza” which coincides with her own line of pop up interactive greeting cards. “Paper Puppet Palooza” is a storybook instructional on creating paper puppets, toys and automaton that stems from her flat puppetry work in animation.

Crankbunny is currently represented
by RedCar and McConnell Reps/Double Plus.

Updated* October 11, 2011